Two killed by lightning over weekend

Two people died and several others were injured on Sunday during lightning storms in two districts in Oddar Meanchey province.

A National Police statement issued yesterday said that two men died while another three were injured while they were trying to escape the rain by taking shelter under a tree in Banteay Ampil district’s Ampil commune.

Khul Phin, Banteay Ampil district deputy police chief, yesterday identified the deceased as Song Mao, 32, and Chhet Choub, 25, both of whom died at the scene.

“We sent the victims to the provincial hospital for medical assistance,” he said. “The deceased victims were sent to their respective families after we had already conducted an autopsy.”

According to a statement from Thma Puok district police, two other men were injured on Sunday while they were guarding the Banteay Chhmar temple road.

The victims were identified as Roeun Phally and Pav Sarann, both Banteay Chhmar commune police officers who were on duty guarding the Banteay Chhmar temple.

The two deaths on Sunday bring the tonal killed by lightning thus far this year to nearly 30, according to data from the National Committee for Disaster Management.

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One of the victims getting treated at a clinic. Nokor Wat

Last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen called on all Cambodians to pay more attention during the rainy season, especially soldiers on the borders. He said that the government is doing whatever is possible to ensure the safety of army personnel.

“The authorities have to go down to distribute raincoats and other equipment to the soldiers who are standing at the border,” he said.

Keo Vy, National Committee for Disaster Management spokesman, said that for ten days this month, natural disasters have affected 500 houses throughout the country, causing 11 people to die.

The Water Resources Ministry last week issued an announcement calling for everyone, especially in the central plains provinces, to be careful of natural occurrences during the rainy season.

According to ministry data, last year’s natural disasters, including storms, lightning and floods, killed 103 people and 74 cattle, while injuring 119 people. The report said that 2,000 families were affected while thousands of houses, public buildings, crops and infrastructure were damaged.

Two years after the Philippine city of Marawi was overrun by jihadists it remains in ruins, with experts warning that stalled reconstruction efforts are bolstering the appeal of extremist groups in the volatile region.

On June 4, Cambodians will once again mark the anniversary of the loss, according to them in 1949, of former 21 Cambodian provinces for the benefit of Vietnam. These provinces are what it is called by the Khmers as Kampuchea Krom.